Roller conveyer construction



April 15, 1952 L. D. BARRY ROLLER CONVEYER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 22, 1949 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 15.1952v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,593,089 l 4 ROLLER CONVEYER CONSTRUCTION Leonard Dodge Barry, Detroit, Mich. Application August 22, 1949, Serial No. 111,626

Claims (c1. 193-35) 4 This invention relates to a construction for.

roller conveyors and in particular to a means of mounting the rollers therein.

One object of this invention is to provide av roller conveyoiaof sanitary construction which which can be easily and quickly disassembled and reassembled for cleaning.

Another object is to provide an inexpensive roller conveyor which is of simple design, easy to assemble, and neat in appearance. A more limited object is to provide a roller con- Another definite object is to provide a simple form of roller conveyor in which the rollers can be inserted-one at a time withoutshifting the shaft with respect to the roller .or without the rollers dropping out of place because of spreading rollers.

Other objects are to provide protection for i the grease holes and grease fittings when used on the shaft'ends of the rollers, and to enable has a minimum-of dirt collecting surface and face i on the shaft to flush with the top of retaining strip 4. The strips be positioned substantially where engaged in grooves 5 are covered by groove 5. Likewise any roller shafts extending into the strips where engaged in grooves 5 are covered. The grease holes 8 and any fittings inserted therein are covered as well as. the portion of face I within the groove. The flat face 1 engages with the top of the groove 5 and prevents the turning of the shaft. Strip 4 is held laterally from with in against groove 5 by stationary ends 9 of the bearings of roller I, providing a simple method of holding the strip 4 against a simple groove. Strips 4 are held from sliding in grooves 5 by tightening one set screw II! in each structural side member against strip 4. The set screw is shown in the bottom of member 6 to retain the rigid side members too much upon placing other quick replacement of worn or faulty rollers.

Other points-of value may be found by one skilled in the understanding of roller conveyor manufacture and construction.

' The invention is briefly a construction'wherein "shaft-ends are inserted in strips that slide into place between structural members which have grooves thereon that receive the strips.

The drawing illustrates the invention and shows some variations to adapt for different rollers. Figure 1 is aview of a typical straight section in perspective. Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Hare fragmentary cross sectional views showing modified forms. Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 1. Figures 8 and 9 are expanded fragmentary.

viewsof a system of segmentation of a certain component.

Referring to the drawing and in particular to Figures :1 and 7; rollers represented by roller I,

complete with shaft and bearings, are shown with plane top and outward side faces of that structural member. More than one set screw could be used to hold strip 4. Any other suitable fastener such as a catch, pin, or bolt might be used instead of or in conjunction with the set screws.

Theconveyor'permits of easy slide in assembly. Having the side members 6 completed'and cross braced with frame members F or otherwise held in place the strips 4 are inserted at one end of the grooves 5 and as the rollers are set in of the rollers being similar to the end shown.

bers 6 are held in position relatively by means such as cross frame bracing F. The retaining strips 4 are shown in Figure 1 extended beyond in the roller shaft and of a depth to allow a fiat Bearing H a is pressed into hole 3a instead of a slot in retaining strip 4a. Flange l2 on the bearing together with the back of structural member 6a retain the bearing laterally; though a press fit is also recommended. Side member 6a has two grooves 5A requiring less milling than one wide groove to accommodate the wide strip 4a. Grooves 5A perform the same function'as groove 5. The bearing can be both press fit onto the shaft and inserted into strip 4a at the same time, permitting the rollers to be completely inserted one'at a time even though strip 441 be rigid and have holes 3a that are. not segmented as explained for Figures 8 and 9.

In Figure 3 side structural member 61) is an angle with a channel attached as shown. The

channel furnishes the groove and is therefore considered an adapting portion [3b of side member 6b. Strip 4b is a formed channel having holes 3b and should be flexible enough to permit assembly of the rollers in place one at a time as the strips 41) are pushed between the grooves 51) or strips 4b can be divided into segments.

In Figure 4 strip member 40 is held laterally from within by tapered members To providing the groovesc on side .member 60. The taperis double that is V-shaped to hold the thin strip 40 from buckling and thereby prevent needless friction.

In Figure 5 roller Id has an external bearing of the bushing or needle roller typepresslfit a hole in channel strip 4d. The roller shaft .can be turned down as shown so the'bearing" would not come out if it becameiloose. Striped. can be rigid and the rollers assembled therein as .explained for Figure 2.

.In Figure 6 strip ie is'held in place by groovingfia flange I l being'provide'd on member I. 'This'*'iiange could'be double" that is -V shaped, differing from the taper only in angle and contour.

Figure 8 illustrates a segment and a fraction "of :strip 49 Strip-4g need not be onepiece' the "lengthnf the conveyor section, but can be conyenientlyjpieced together or can be sectioned at therollershafts'as shown. Thus'with segment Strips"4g,as shown Figure 8,-a' bearing can be insertedwhen' the segments are separatedwand "canbeheld when the segments engage in a groove aroundthe bearing.

' Figure 9 illustrates asegment and a fraction "of-strip ift for holding a roller shaft I5. Short 'segments of strip llh, as Figures 8 and 9'illu'strate, can "be" rigid and used around -a curve without .rolling.

f Having explained the constructions illustrated -itcanfbe pointed out thatthis construction ap- "plies equally well'to curves and double roller sec- "tions. "The strips'if'not'required 'to befiexible can be braced-and spaced together, butasuch con- "structionis optional. Side members herein called :structur'ahmemberscan be of varied cross sec- "ti'on';"and' the groovesoan be spaced in line alon the-structural members. "The holes or slots in the'retaining strips may be punched or milled recesses of less width than the strip. "Rollers "withzthrough shafts are nota' requirement: stud shaftscan serve the same purpose. The roller may be -made up'of one or more roller wheels on a shaft, .a commonmanufacture. The slots, holes, "recessesmand'segmented openings are herein given "the term'enga-gements. Under conditions as illustratediinFigures 4" and-6 that is whereverthe retaining strips'can be held in the'structural 'member independent of the otherparts stub shaft assemblies can be held in engagements along the strips. Stu-b shafts are herein designated as" shafts held. in only one frame either ."fixed orrevolvable. .St-ub' shafts support such things as short rollers, wheels, sprockets; and

sometimes other items used'in conveyors.

tiis evident thatttherecan'be manyand wide variations 'of this construction; therefore? I do not" wish vtobe limited to the few variations of (this construction illustrated.

' SI claim:

' 1. .A. roller assembly for moving articles which comprises a plurality of rollers having shaft end projections, a plurality of parallelly spaced structural -members, a plurality of slide retaining "members; said structural members having grooves 'ialongtheir lengths which receive -said slide retaming members in* slidable relation, said slide 4 retaining members having engagements which receive said roller end projections.

2. A shaft assembly such as can be used in conveyors which comprises at least one structural member having a groove along its length, a slide retaining member which engages in said groove with sliding motion and is held therein, a plurality of engagements spaced along said slide retaining memben'a plurality of shaft end members which engage in said engagements.

3. A shaft assembly such as can be used on conveyors which comprises a structural member having a plurality of grooves along its length, a

slide retaining member which engages in said grooves and is held therein, a plurality of engagements-spaced along said slide retaining member, a plurality of shaft ends which engage in said engagements on said slide retaining member.

4. A shaft assembly'as claimed in claim 2 in which said slide retaining member is composed of segments havingiends which when two'such ends on differentisegments are brought and to end a said engagement is thereby provided.

5. A roller conveyor as claimed .in claim 2.in which said groove is a channel member.

6. A roller conveyor as claimed in claim 3 the said grooves beingdouble grooves and said retaining member beinga'channel the leg ends of which fit into said grooves.

7. A roller assembly as .claimedin claim. 1 in which said slide retaining members are held outwardly in said grooves by the. ends of internal bearings of'said rollers.

8. A shaft assembly as claimed in claim 3.-said slide retainingimember'being strips having V- shaped top and bottom edges which cooperate with said grooves. onlsaidstructural member to permit said strips to. slide and be pushed without buckling in said grooveseven though. said strips slots with said flat face substantially'fiush with said edge, said projections being held-whensaid strips therewith are properly slipped into said groove.

10. A shaft assemblz. as claimed in claim2 said slide retaining member being a flexible strip whereby it can be partly inserted .in said structural member and the remainder sprung to receive said shaft end members one-at a time.

LEONARD DODGE BARRY.

REFERENCES I-CITED The following'references are of record in-the file of'thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re..1.4,'792 Buck Jan.r,20, 1920 1,406,228 iRiedel -Feb. 161, .1922 2,391.",2'72 :Rose Dec.,18, 1945 

